The speed bumps I hit on the Ubuntu Parkway kind of weakened my resolve on the Ubuntu Experiment. It simply reached the point where it was easier for me to complete tasks in Windows than it was to boot to Ubuntu and try to resolve the program install issues or the occasional internet browsing glitches.
As a result, I haven't worked with Ubuntu in a few weeks.
Something I stumbled across the other day, however, may prompt me to resume the experiment. I recently started using Google Chrome as my default browser. I gave it a trial run for a few days before finally giving in to those default browser prompts. I occasionally jump back to FireFox, the same way I jumped back and forth between Ubuntu and Windows when the Experiment was in full swing, but, for the most part, it's Chrome these days.
Well, as it happens, there's a version of Google Chrome for Linux, so, well, that's just begging for another trial.
So I'm going to jump back to Ubuntu and give it a try. It might not completely revive the Ubuntu project, but it's a spark that might just might ignite something. The biggest obstacle for Ubuntu right now is that I've just installed so many really cool programs in Windows, and I just don't know if anything I can get on Ubuntu is as slick, user-friendly and so packed full of features. We'll see.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Current State of the Experiment
I've finally hit the uphill part of the learning curve on using Ubuntu. As an end user, someone who's interested in using a computer to get work done, I appreciate applications and interfaces that are at least somewhat intuitive. Installing programs on Ubuntu, I've discovered, is not always intuitive. Oh, sure, if you find something in the Ubuntu app store you want to install, it's very easy. Just click the program and have it install. Installing something you've downloaded elsewhere--not so much.
I found some pages that provided instructions on installing applications in Ubuntu, but, so far, none of the programs I "installed" are listed in the Applications menu. In some cases, the programs I've downloaded aren't even listed in Synaptic Package Manager.
I've read the documentation, and it all sounds very easy to do, but the information provided in the documentation is what happens when it works the way it's supposed to. In software quality assurance this is referred to as the "happy path." A software quality assurance analyst always has to ask the "what if" question. I don't see any what ifs covered in the documentation--especially for the former Windows user.
And I only ran into these complications because I was trying to fix some browser issues. I've been switching back and forth between Aurora and FireFox, but both exhibit similar problems on some web pages. I thought maybe if I installed SwiftFox or an newer version of FireFox, it might resolve some of the issues I've encountered. Unfortunately, I failed at every attempt to install programs I'd downloaded. I received a SUCCESS! message after installing SwiftFox, but it's nowhere to be found.
From the perspective of user friendliness, I'll have to give Ubuntu an average grade at this point--below average when I consider what I was able to accomplish in Vista last night. I needed an FTP program to upload some files to my personal web page. In less than a minute I was able to download and install the program and had my files uploaded. Oh, and I also decided to download a program from MSDN, burn the ISO to CD and install it. I didn't have ISO burning software installed, so I downloaded CD Burner XP as well as the program I needed. Within minutes I'd downloaded both programs, burned the ISO, got it installed and was up and running.
I didn't really think about that contrast in experiences until sometime later when it just hit me that in less than an hour in Windows I'd managed to download and install multiple programs, build a web page and upload the files. That's productivity. That's why I use a computer.
Sure, I know I've got some learning to do with Ubuntu and it will get easier. As it stands now, however, the edge goes to Vista in terms of user friendliness and productivity.
I found some pages that provided instructions on installing applications in Ubuntu, but, so far, none of the programs I "installed" are listed in the Applications menu. In some cases, the programs I've downloaded aren't even listed in Synaptic Package Manager.
I've read the documentation, and it all sounds very easy to do, but the information provided in the documentation is what happens when it works the way it's supposed to. In software quality assurance this is referred to as the "happy path." A software quality assurance analyst always has to ask the "what if" question. I don't see any what ifs covered in the documentation--especially for the former Windows user.
And I only ran into these complications because I was trying to fix some browser issues. I've been switching back and forth between Aurora and FireFox, but both exhibit similar problems on some web pages. I thought maybe if I installed SwiftFox or an newer version of FireFox, it might resolve some of the issues I've encountered. Unfortunately, I failed at every attempt to install programs I'd downloaded. I received a SUCCESS! message after installing SwiftFox, but it's nowhere to be found.
From the perspective of user friendliness, I'll have to give Ubuntu an average grade at this point--below average when I consider what I was able to accomplish in Vista last night. I needed an FTP program to upload some files to my personal web page. In less than a minute I was able to download and install the program and had my files uploaded. Oh, and I also decided to download a program from MSDN, burn the ISO to CD and install it. I didn't have ISO burning software installed, so I downloaded CD Burner XP as well as the program I needed. Within minutes I'd downloaded both programs, burned the ISO, got it installed and was up and running.
I didn't really think about that contrast in experiences until sometime later when it just hit me that in less than an hour in Windows I'd managed to download and install multiple programs, build a web page and upload the files. That's productivity. That's why I use a computer.
Sure, I know I've got some learning to do with Ubuntu and it will get easier. As it stands now, however, the edge goes to Vista in terms of user friendliness and productivity.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Speed Bumps
I've encountered my first hiccoughs on the road toward dumping Windows for Ubuntu.
A recurring issue that crops up whenever I'm accessing certain web sites and typing text into pop-ups or other boxes is that I lose control of the cursor and am unable to close the popup window. At first I thought it was a browser issue and installed Aurora to give it a try instead of FireFox. The same issues occur there as well. I'm not sure what causes it and therefore have no idea how to prevent it from happening. So far, it's merely an annoyance, but it usually results in my having to close the browser and starting over, which is counterproductive to say the least. A computer is a productivity tool for me. When something becomes an obstacle to productivity, I have to consider alternatives.
The other problem I've run into is that Ubuntu is unable to print to my network laser. We have two printers on our network: the monochrome laser, which is our productivity workhorse, and an all-in-one that we use for scanning and color printing. Ubuntu communicates just fine with the Epson all-in-one and it detected and installed the Brother laser printer, but it can only print to the Epson. I mostly use the Epson for scanning and avoid sending black-and-white print jobs to it because the ink cartridges are expensive. That is, after all, why we have the laser workhorse.
I spent nearly an hour last night troubleshooting the printing issue, but it's just not working. I'll have to do some additional research and see what I can come up with.
This means that I will continue to dual-boot with Windows. I must have access to that laser printer. There's no productivity sense in switching to an OS that doesn't allow me to use all the devices I need in my day-to-day work. And I also can't spend hours a day troubleshooting problems that prevent me from doing my work. Again, that's counterproductive. I have too much work to do to be fiddling with the tools that are supposed to be helping me work instead of impairing my work.
A recurring issue that crops up whenever I'm accessing certain web sites and typing text into pop-ups or other boxes is that I lose control of the cursor and am unable to close the popup window. At first I thought it was a browser issue and installed Aurora to give it a try instead of FireFox. The same issues occur there as well. I'm not sure what causes it and therefore have no idea how to prevent it from happening. So far, it's merely an annoyance, but it usually results in my having to close the browser and starting over, which is counterproductive to say the least. A computer is a productivity tool for me. When something becomes an obstacle to productivity, I have to consider alternatives.
The other problem I've run into is that Ubuntu is unable to print to my network laser. We have two printers on our network: the monochrome laser, which is our productivity workhorse, and an all-in-one that we use for scanning and color printing. Ubuntu communicates just fine with the Epson all-in-one and it detected and installed the Brother laser printer, but it can only print to the Epson. I mostly use the Epson for scanning and avoid sending black-and-white print jobs to it because the ink cartridges are expensive. That is, after all, why we have the laser workhorse.
I spent nearly an hour last night troubleshooting the printing issue, but it's just not working. I'll have to do some additional research and see what I can come up with.
This means that I will continue to dual-boot with Windows. I must have access to that laser printer. There's no productivity sense in switching to an OS that doesn't allow me to use all the devices I need in my day-to-day work. And I also can't spend hours a day troubleshooting problems that prevent me from doing my work. Again, that's counterproductive. I have too much work to do to be fiddling with the tools that are supposed to be helping me work instead of impairing my work.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
The Mouse
Going back to Diablo, I've been a mouse user. Yes, that's right--I'm blaming my mouse addiction on Diablo, not Windows. I didn't realize how much I need my mouse until the one I had been using suddenly died. That's when I realized I really hate the touchpad on my laptop. The need for a replacement quickly went from a nice convenience to a necessity--so much so that I drove out today in the wind and snow to purchase it.
You're probably wondering what this has to do with the Ubuntu Experiment, but bear with me.
I had been using the Microsoft Wireless Mouse 3000. I was perfectly happy with it up until its untimely demise. I neither needed nor wanted anything exceptional; I just want something that works. The 3000 was comparatively inexpensive and fulfilled that need. I had no complaints about it. I noticed in many reviews of mice that users complain about the range. If it doesn't have a range of up to three feet, it's not a good mouse. I actually find that a comical criticism. I can't think of any case where my mouse would be more than a foot away from the laptop. On a desktop system, that might be an issue. But a laptop?
In any event, the 3000 worked just fine for me. Then, after less than a year, it was unexpectedly dead. At first I thought it was another dead battery, but swapping it out for multiple fresh ones didn't fix the problem. It was obviously not a synch issue (the status light indicated the battery was dead even though I replaced it multiple times), but I tried re-synching anyway with no luck. Final conclusion: It was just dead.
Why not just use the touchpad on the laptop? Yes, the touchpad works, but it's, well, touchy. Too touchy for my tastes. And many tasks are just easier to perform with a mouse than the silly touchpad--click and drag for one, select and copy for another.
I could even live with some of those quibbles, but the placement of the touchpad in the horizontal center of the keyboard is a big issue with me. I'm right handed. When I need to left-click something using the touchpad, I frequently find myself right-clicking instead. I end up having to look down at the touchpad to ensure I'm clicking the correct button.
That happens because when the laptop is positioned properly for me to type on the keyboard, my right hand isn't in an ergonomic position to use the touchpad buttons. When I'm using a mouse, my hand is already on the buttons I need for left and right clicking without having to look down. I've been conditioned to drive with my left hand on the keyboard and the right hand on the mouse.
So it was off to Office Depot for a replacement mouse. Again, even though the $10-off sale on a Logitech laser mouse (regularly $49.99, discounted to $39.99) was tempting, I didn't really need it. Why pay an extra $10 when the less expensive model fits my needs just fine? So now I was faced with the dilemma of choosing between the 3000 once again or, for the same price, a Logitech V220. If color coordination were the primary criteria, I would have selected the 3000 in a heartbeat, since it came in a color that nicely matched my laptop.
The fact is, I was concerned about reliability. Would my replacement die after less than a year? I'd given Microsoft a decent shot, so now I figured it was time for Logitech to have a go at it. I opted for the V220.
My first positive experience with the mouse was opening the package. Nowadays I've come to appreciate electronics packages that don't require a crowbar and some C4 to open.
Now I had another choice to make: Boot to Windows and install it or Ubuntu? I chose Ubuntu. I was curious to see how easily Ubuntu would detect the device and whether it would work without having to download drivers or install some additional software.
I was pleasantly surprised when the system recognized the mouse without any intervention on my part and it worked immediately. In fact, that's what surprised me the most--there was no hesitation, no driver detection. It just worked. Yes, I'm sure it will work just fine in Windows too, but every time I plug a device like this into my Windows system, I have to wait several seconds for the system to identify the device and load the drivers for it. Again, that's not really a criticism of Windows, that's just the behavior I've come to expect.
That's why it was a pleasant surprise to me when Ubuntu didn't display notifications saying, "Hey, I've found a new device! Hey, I'm installing drivers for your new device! Hey, your new device is working now!"
Bottom line: It just works.
The V220 is working just fine so far, so I'm not missing the 3000. It tracks just fine, fits my hand well and does what expect a mouse to do. It's like I was never without my mouse. And that's the way I like it: a seamless transition. And no more annoying touchpad.
You're probably wondering what this has to do with the Ubuntu Experiment, but bear with me.
I had been using the Microsoft Wireless Mouse 3000. I was perfectly happy with it up until its untimely demise. I neither needed nor wanted anything exceptional; I just want something that works. The 3000 was comparatively inexpensive and fulfilled that need. I had no complaints about it. I noticed in many reviews of mice that users complain about the range. If it doesn't have a range of up to three feet, it's not a good mouse. I actually find that a comical criticism. I can't think of any case where my mouse would be more than a foot away from the laptop. On a desktop system, that might be an issue. But a laptop?
In any event, the 3000 worked just fine for me. Then, after less than a year, it was unexpectedly dead. At first I thought it was another dead battery, but swapping it out for multiple fresh ones didn't fix the problem. It was obviously not a synch issue (the status light indicated the battery was dead even though I replaced it multiple times), but I tried re-synching anyway with no luck. Final conclusion: It was just dead.
Why not just use the touchpad on the laptop? Yes, the touchpad works, but it's, well, touchy. Too touchy for my tastes. And many tasks are just easier to perform with a mouse than the silly touchpad--click and drag for one, select and copy for another.
I could even live with some of those quibbles, but the placement of the touchpad in the horizontal center of the keyboard is a big issue with me. I'm right handed. When I need to left-click something using the touchpad, I frequently find myself right-clicking instead. I end up having to look down at the touchpad to ensure I'm clicking the correct button.
That happens because when the laptop is positioned properly for me to type on the keyboard, my right hand isn't in an ergonomic position to use the touchpad buttons. When I'm using a mouse, my hand is already on the buttons I need for left and right clicking without having to look down. I've been conditioned to drive with my left hand on the keyboard and the right hand on the mouse.
So it was off to Office Depot for a replacement mouse. Again, even though the $10-off sale on a Logitech laser mouse (regularly $49.99, discounted to $39.99) was tempting, I didn't really need it. Why pay an extra $10 when the less expensive model fits my needs just fine? So now I was faced with the dilemma of choosing between the 3000 once again or, for the same price, a Logitech V220. If color coordination were the primary criteria, I would have selected the 3000 in a heartbeat, since it came in a color that nicely matched my laptop.
The fact is, I was concerned about reliability. Would my replacement die after less than a year? I'd given Microsoft a decent shot, so now I figured it was time for Logitech to have a go at it. I opted for the V220.
My first positive experience with the mouse was opening the package. Nowadays I've come to appreciate electronics packages that don't require a crowbar and some C4 to open.
Now I had another choice to make: Boot to Windows and install it or Ubuntu? I chose Ubuntu. I was curious to see how easily Ubuntu would detect the device and whether it would work without having to download drivers or install some additional software.
I was pleasantly surprised when the system recognized the mouse without any intervention on my part and it worked immediately. In fact, that's what surprised me the most--there was no hesitation, no driver detection. It just worked. Yes, I'm sure it will work just fine in Windows too, but every time I plug a device like this into my Windows system, I have to wait several seconds for the system to identify the device and load the drivers for it. Again, that's not really a criticism of Windows, that's just the behavior I've come to expect.
That's why it was a pleasant surprise to me when Ubuntu didn't display notifications saying, "Hey, I've found a new device! Hey, I'm installing drivers for your new device! Hey, your new device is working now!"
Bottom line: It just works.
The V220 is working just fine so far, so I'm not missing the 3000. It tracks just fine, fits my hand well and does what expect a mouse to do. It's like I was never without my mouse. And that's the way I like it: a seamless transition. And no more annoying touchpad.
Dual Booting
When I initially decided to take on the Ubuntu Experiment, my attitude was that I wasn't messing around--I was going to dive in and let the path take me wherever it would lead. Dual-booting, my mind said, with arms crossed, is for sissies and scaredy cats.
After doing some research on the potential problems I could encounter, however, I decided a try-before-you-buy approach was prudent. I use "try-before-you-buy" metaphorically, of course, since installing Ubuntu doesn't cost me a dime.
My biggest concern was hardware compatibility. I frankly had no idea how well the system would be able to recognize the hardware in my Dell laptop. This is actually the first laptop I've ever owned, and all of the desktops I've used in the past ten years I built myself. I never wanted to buy a PC out of the box from a manufacturer primarily because (in the past, at least) they were notoriously proprietary and I always wanted to have an upgrade path.
So the hardware issue was a big question mark for me, especially because I'd read that the Network Manager in Ubuntu is buggy. The number one complaint I encountered in my research was that users couldn't connect to networks wirelessly in Ubuntu. Some even said that on their dual-boot systems they couldn't connect in Windows after loading Ubuntu--because, they argued, Ubuntu wasn't releasing the wireless device on reboot.
Since I depend pretty heavily on my wireless network connection--both at home and at work--this gave me pause to reconsider that "dive in head first" approach.
Instead, I downloaded Wubi.exe, an installer that runs under Windows to create a dual-boot system of sorts. It's not exactly the same as installing from the ISO CD, but it does allow you to boot to an Ubuntu environment to try it out and determine how well it's going to work in your system.
The install program ran for several minutes and then when I rebooted, selecting the Ubuntu option from the boot menu, additional setup was performed for several more minutes before I was ready to officially boot to my new soon-to-be new OS.
As a long-time Windows user (I go back to the Windows 3.1 days), my first reaction to Ubuntu was that it seemed Mac-like. And, yes, after using Vista it seemed rather plain. I wasn't about to complain about that, though. I like things clean and simple, and that's an apt description of Ubuntu--clean and simple.
So, first order of business--see if I can get that wireless network connection up. Um, let's see, now where is that wireless utility. Oh, there it is on the menu bar at the top of the screen--just like on my wife's Apple laptop. Right-click, find my wireless router. Lots of wireless connections in the neighborhood, I see. I'm prompted to enter the passkey. I type it in, Ubuntu connects, no problem, and I'm up and running.
I launch FireFox and, voila!, I'm surfing, just like that. So much for all those concerns about hardware compatibility. The wireless works, sound works, and, obviously, no issues with the video either. I poke around a little and, not surprisingly, have to install some plug-ins for FireFox to be able to view animations and video on various web sites. It's all very easy and painless so far.
Eventually a window pops up announcing that 217 updates are being downloaded. After several minutes, the updates are installed, and it's time for a reboot.
This time, I go back into Vista to verify that everything's working fine on that side of the fence. No issues. Hmm. Reboot into Ubuntu. Everything's looking fine so far.
I get Evolution up and running and connected to my primary mail server. No hitches there, either. I send and receive test messages from different email account to verify that it's working. No issues.
I've already started customizing Ubuntu to make it more like my OS home. I guess that's a good sign. The Ubuntu web site states that it's designed to be simple to use. So far, it lives up to that billing. I will continue to experiment, of course. The ultimate goal is to wean myself from Windows. The basic rule I've decided to apply is, I'll use Ubuntu until I find a situation that requires a reboot to Vista. The fact is, I've got some applications installed under Windows that I depend on and that will not work in Ubuntu. Until I can find a suitable substitute for them, I'll be dual booting.
Next column: Apps, Apps, Apps.
After doing some research on the potential problems I could encounter, however, I decided a try-before-you-buy approach was prudent. I use "try-before-you-buy" metaphorically, of course, since installing Ubuntu doesn't cost me a dime.
My biggest concern was hardware compatibility. I frankly had no idea how well the system would be able to recognize the hardware in my Dell laptop. This is actually the first laptop I've ever owned, and all of the desktops I've used in the past ten years I built myself. I never wanted to buy a PC out of the box from a manufacturer primarily because (in the past, at least) they were notoriously proprietary and I always wanted to have an upgrade path.
So the hardware issue was a big question mark for me, especially because I'd read that the Network Manager in Ubuntu is buggy. The number one complaint I encountered in my research was that users couldn't connect to networks wirelessly in Ubuntu. Some even said that on their dual-boot systems they couldn't connect in Windows after loading Ubuntu--because, they argued, Ubuntu wasn't releasing the wireless device on reboot.
Since I depend pretty heavily on my wireless network connection--both at home and at work--this gave me pause to reconsider that "dive in head first" approach.
Instead, I downloaded Wubi.exe, an installer that runs under Windows to create a dual-boot system of sorts. It's not exactly the same as installing from the ISO CD, but it does allow you to boot to an Ubuntu environment to try it out and determine how well it's going to work in your system.
The install program ran for several minutes and then when I rebooted, selecting the Ubuntu option from the boot menu, additional setup was performed for several more minutes before I was ready to officially boot to my new soon-to-be new OS.
As a long-time Windows user (I go back to the Windows 3.1 days), my first reaction to Ubuntu was that it seemed Mac-like. And, yes, after using Vista it seemed rather plain. I wasn't about to complain about that, though. I like things clean and simple, and that's an apt description of Ubuntu--clean and simple.
So, first order of business--see if I can get that wireless network connection up. Um, let's see, now where is that wireless utility. Oh, there it is on the menu bar at the top of the screen--just like on my wife's Apple laptop. Right-click, find my wireless router. Lots of wireless connections in the neighborhood, I see. I'm prompted to enter the passkey. I type it in, Ubuntu connects, no problem, and I'm up and running.
I launch FireFox and, voila!, I'm surfing, just like that. So much for all those concerns about hardware compatibility. The wireless works, sound works, and, obviously, no issues with the video either. I poke around a little and, not surprisingly, have to install some plug-ins for FireFox to be able to view animations and video on various web sites. It's all very easy and painless so far.
Eventually a window pops up announcing that 217 updates are being downloaded. After several minutes, the updates are installed, and it's time for a reboot.
This time, I go back into Vista to verify that everything's working fine on that side of the fence. No issues. Hmm. Reboot into Ubuntu. Everything's looking fine so far.
I get Evolution up and running and connected to my primary mail server. No hitches there, either. I send and receive test messages from different email account to verify that it's working. No issues.
I've already started customizing Ubuntu to make it more like my OS home. I guess that's a good sign. The Ubuntu web site states that it's designed to be simple to use. So far, it lives up to that billing. I will continue to experiment, of course. The ultimate goal is to wean myself from Windows. The basic rule I've decided to apply is, I'll use Ubuntu until I find a situation that requires a reboot to Vista. The fact is, I've got some applications installed under Windows that I depend on and that will not work in Ubuntu. Until I can find a suitable substitute for them, I'll be dual booting.
Next column: Apps, Apps, Apps.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Further Prep Work
I need to finish backing up files, and then I'll be ready to go for the new install. I plan on installing the new OS on Friday after I've caught up on my work (ha!), so we'll see how it goes.
Preparation
Back-ups, back-ups, back-ups. I spent several hours this past weekend dragging files from my laptop to the terabyte drive on my desktop PC. I still have a lot more to back up before I'm ready to wipe this thing and install Ubuntu. I've already created the install disc; I just want to make sure I've got everything ready to go before I flip the switch. A key concern, of course, is what I'm going to lose.
Now I'm wondering--when I install Ubuntu, am I legally obligated to remove the Windows Vista tag Dell slapped on here? Naturally, I'm voiding all warranties the minute I pull the trigger. Honestly, I think wiping a new system like this is a good thing anyway. Dell and other PC vendors throw way too much baggage into these systems. Cleaning house is a good thing.
Now I'm wondering--when I install Ubuntu, am I legally obligated to remove the Windows Vista tag Dell slapped on here? Naturally, I'm voiding all warranties the minute I pull the trigger. Honestly, I think wiping a new system like this is a good thing anyway. Dell and other PC vendors throw way too much baggage into these systems. Cleaning house is a good thing.
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